Witches, Wizards and Something New
by mochiface
Summary: Back for an 8th yr after the war, there are stirrings of positive change at Hogwarts. With Hermione at the forefront of a new club, prior friendships are strengthened and new ones formed. A confident addition to Harry Potter's inner circle. A shy Draco Malfoy trying to find himself among the ruins of his life. Love, secrets and young adults exploring their identities HP/DM HG/OC
1. Chapter 1

Mochiface here~ this is gonna be a (short?) cute queer fic. 8th Year.

I've had it in my mind for a long while that I'd love to write about non-binary students at Hogwarts (and in the wider world of Harry Potter): being non-binary myself.

If you have strong (rude) opinions about gender non-conformity and non-binary people just don't read my fic. This is for me, and for any of you that

wanted more from Harry Potter than some Straight-Cis-White™ narratives. Much love~

Anything different from the books is my artistic liberties, as well as some adopted headcanons from fandom.

 **The rest belongs to the original creator J. K. Rowling . This is purely for fun - no copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Part 1: _Witches and Wizards and..._**

Draco Malfoy took the steps slowly, feet unsure this was where they wanted to go. Halfway up, shivering from anxiety, Draco abandoned his plan to visit the Astronomy Tower and fled back to the dormitories. It was already second-term and although he had tried many times since returning Draco still couldn't revisit that place.

At the entrance to the Slytherin common room, an accumulation of posters with varying degrees of artistic skill and charms to animate the pictures were posted on a newly installed noticeboard. They fluttered as Draco rushed past. In his haste he did not even register the noise.

One of the flyers detached itself from the board, folded itself up and cheekily tucked itself into the pocket of Draco's trousers.

After the militant regime imposed on Hogwarts in the last few years, under the Ministry first then followed by the Death Eaters take-over, the rules had been reviewed by Headmaster McGonagall and were more liberal than ever. This lead to a lot more extracurricular groups formed by students getting approved. It seemed everyone wanted reasons to spend less time alone.

Among the new groups was the W.W.S, founded by none other than Hermione Granger. Like with the beginning of S.P.E.W, which she started back in fourth year, there weren't any members and even less information about what W.W.S was.

No doubt though that this new group would be a some kind of rights endeavour, political in nature and calling for change - those who knew Hermione well felt sure of that.

It was a neatly designed W.W.S flyer that found it's way into Draco Malfoy's pocket that afternoon, whatever clever charms Hermione had woven into the the parchment and ink clearly decided that's where it should be. As usual, Hermione and her magic were probably if not unequivocally right.

* * *

Harry heard the words "-sex education-" barreling down the portrait tunnel as soon as the portrait swung open to let him through. Hermione was giving a speech it seemed, excitedly, but to whom? Harry wondered. In the common room the scene made Harry laugh a little. Hermione; a witch clever, quick and mature standing on a foot stool as she spoke before a not so captive audience made up of just Ron Weasley. Ron looked a little pink, but at the sight of Harry relief flooded his face.

"Harry!" Ron cried "she's been making me listen to this for _hours_!"

"Oh Ronald, really!" Hermione chided "it's only been twenty minutes."

"Feels like forever..." Ron complained.

The trio had a laugh and chatted about trivial stuff. The things that students of their age talk about, trivial only when compared to the years of solving mysteries with their lives on the line. But it was triviality - the right to care about little things - that the students of Hogwarts had earned when their childhoods were bulldozed by a war. And they were damn well going to have that cake, eat it, and talk about how good it tastes too.

That night, at the start-of-term feast Headmaster McGonagall invited Hermione - as the Eighth Year Head Prefect - to say a few words about additions to the curriculum. Some students audibly groaned, but many harvested a serious and grateful respect towards Hermione; fresh in their minds was her crucial part in the fall of Voldemort.

"Hogwarts has risen from the ashes and Headmaster McGonagall and I agree the only way to respect this triumphant - albeit wibbly -" referring to the complications they bumped up with repairing the castle (though they assured the castle they were trying to help, it was a bit miffed at being in ruins to begin with and wouldn't cooperate with the clean up efforts) "-victory is to improve and add to the curriculum,"

There were mixed murmurs throughout the hall, no doubt remembering the last time there were changes to the curriculum at Hogwarts: _Umbridge_. A name that sent shivers through all that had encountered her.

"As not to cause too much disruption in our normal routines there are only two additions. A new topic included in Defense Against the Dark Arts, that will cover safe practices of magic, as well as a new separate class for Sex Education."

The Great Hall erupted into laughter and frenzied gossiping, friends poking friends with lewd comments to whisper to each other and others protesting loudly. Hermione tsked a bit, but McGonagall had a look of amusement.

"Year 3s to 8s will find that Sex Ed will be now included in your timetables. Thank you all for your time."

There was a round of applause and wolf-whistles. Clearly students thought it was hilarious.

Ron leaned toward Harry and grumbled "They think it's funny now, but wait till we actually have to go to those classes."

"Don't worry, Ron. I'm sure you'll be able to catch up." Harry joked, laughing even harder as Ron lunged at him.

* * *

"So if that wasn't the 'Big Surprise' you wrote about, 'Mione," Ron said after dinner "I dread to think what it's going to be." Harry nodded, amused but in agreement.

"Well," Hermione said, leading them to the library "I didn't want to tell you both in letters because I'd like to be able to answer your questions straight away. Of which I trust will be tasteful and respectful." She stopped and gave them both stern looks. "Over the break I met someone who has become very dear to me..." Harry glanced sideways at Ron, who gave him a sheepish look. He and Hermione had broken up, a little detail Ron had neglected to mention to Harry.

Arriving at their destination Hermione said "This is my partner Melody," interrupting the frantic charades between Harry and Ron: 'when did this happen?' 'sorry! slipped my mind!'.

They turned to the person Hermione was introducing. 'Melody': a tall pale girl with straight black hair down to her waist, standing by a trolley of . Ron nodded at them, which Harry noted - so he was the last to meet her.

Melody and Hermione looked about as opposite as possible, with Hermione's shrub of frizzy brown hair and warm, light-brown skin; short stature and curvy body. Melody on the other hand was long-limbed and straight as a bean pole and the only colour on her skin was some acne scars and a dusting of pink on her cheeks and above the neckline of her shirt.

Ron was incredibly awkward, avoiding looking at Melody while trying to look like he wasn't. He had met Melody before, that was true. Introduced to him by Hermione as her 'friend', but this was frankly a shock. He was trying to keep his reactions contained, for his sake as much as anyone else's.

"Nice to meet you Melody," Harry said with an outstretched hand which Melody took firmly "you're in Ravenclaw right?" He asked, as she strangely hadn't changed into her robes yet. He vaguely remembered her face but only as a whisper in the crowds of almost-acquaintances you file away from school.

Melody smiled. "That I am, Harry Potter. Hope you're prepared to lose the Cup to us this year." Melody grinned at Harry's surprise. Hermione looked deeply relieved.

"Mel's the keeper for Ravenclaw," Hermione said proudly. "They've been training hard this summer," Hermione squeezed Melody's hand and raised it above their heads with a silly little "Go Ravenclaw!" cheer.

"Traitor!" Harry said in faux outrage, and they all laughed. Harry could see how tremendously happy Hermione was, and it would have been almost sickening if Harry was the kind of person to find it so. (Ron certainly did). However they'd all been through enough that Harry was overjoyed to see his friend giddy and energized.

"I look forward to the season," he called out to them as Ron dragged him away. Hermione and Melody whooped.

* * *

As Draco Malfoy undressed to get ready for bed, he heard a rustle from his trouser pocket. With confusion he retrieved the neatly folded piece of parchment. He opened it slowly, half expecting some kind of cursed letter. The simple yet elegant poster read, title in gold lettering and information in black ink:

 **W.W.S**

 **"Witches, Wizards and... Spellcasters"**

A Non-Binary Magical Assembly

Thursday Evenings at 6

Study Nook in the Turret off the 5th floor

Come along to talk, cast spells and have a space.

Hosted by Hermione Granger and Melody Blossom

For some reason he couldn't yet fathom, half undressed and alone in his room, Draco Malfoy started to cry.


	2. Chapter 2

Mochiface here~ Happy New Year from NZ! And Happy Birthday to me!

I AM INSPIRED SO GOT SOME MORE WRITING DONE THIS EVENING - I usually post then go back the next day to fix any mistakes I made sooo... hope ya'all can deal.

I _f you have strong (rude) opinions about gender non-conformity and non-binary people just don't read my fic. This is for me, and for any of you that wanted more from Harry Potter than some Straight-Cis-White™ narratives. Much love~_

Anything different from the books is my artistic liberties, as well as some adopted headcanons from fandom.

 **The rest belongs to the original creator J. K. Rowling . This is purely for fun - no copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Part Two:** ** _Spellcasters_**

It was a surprise to be sure, that Hermione – who had been dancing around with Ron with feelings for years – now had a girlfriend. But it didn't change much of anything, except that what once was a trio, then became a quartet. Even Ron, who harboured what he might describe as feeling "responsible" for Hermione turning to women, quickly came to like Melody. She was similar to Ginny, tough and strong-willed, and could discuss Quidditch with a fervour that rivalled Harry and him; it made Ron feel at ease.

"Get a move on, Bean Boy!" Mel called out to Ron with the nickname he'd earned at their most recent Charms lesson as he tried to summon a Darner-whisp and Seamus Finnigan had nudged him, throwing his already questionable wand movement off course and conjuring up instead a fountain of multicoloured jelly beans.

Hermione and Melody walked hand in hand five metres ahead. Harry's bag was experiencing a minor mishap, his books and parchment were spilling out of a pesky, invisible hole which neither he nor Ron could find. Giving up on the bag Harry levitated his school things in a stack and they caught up to Mel and 'Mione.

They trundled to their classes together, happy and carefree in the comfortable warmth of midday.

* * *

"It's really great, Hermione," Dean Thomas said, "Your folks cool?" he asked, eyes on the move Ron was making on their game of Wizard's Chess.

"Yeah, they adore Mel!" Hermione laughed. "They think Mel's teeth are exceptional!" Harry laughed, being the only one in the group to understand dentistry.

There was a small group gathered in the Gryffindor common room late in the evening, lit only by a few lanterns on the walls and the glowing embers in the fireplace.

"I got to admit, 'Mione, it was a bit of shock- at first-" Ron paused to groan frustratedly as Dean's Queen took his Knight.

"A bit of a shock at first?" Hermione prompted him.

"hmmm…" Ron's attention slowly returned "a bit of a shock -that you have a _girlfriend…_ But you and her: it's brilliant, 'Mione."

"Thank you, Ronald." Hermione looked really touched by Ron's unexpected sentiment.

"Since we're talking about it, I should mention at this point… Melody isn't my _girlfriend_ ," Hermione said accentuating 'girlfriend'. Dean, Harry and Ron looked up from the chess game.

"Huh?" Ron said.

"Really?" Dean said teasingly from his armchair "Do you kiss _all_ your friends like that?"

Hermione laughed. "What I _mean_ is, Mel doesn't identify as a woman. She's not a 'witch'."

" _Huh_?" Ron repeated louder. "You've really lost me." Harry said nothing, also lost but feeling there was more of an explanation coming.

"Mel is what's called 'non-binary', or a Spellcaster. A magic person but neither witch nor wizard."

"Like a Squib?" Dean suggested.

"No, not at all like a Squib, Dean. This is about gender, not the ability to perform magic. It's okay. When I met Mel I hadn't heard anything about either. It's been a little while since I heard a term that I hadn't at least heard once or twice. This was completely new to me. Really it's a fine example that there's always more we can learn!" She said excitedly.

"There was hardly anything written specifically about gender-non-conformity in Wizarding books. I don't know if it's because there's scarcely anything that covers it, or if the bookstores in Diagon Alley and Hogwarts' library simply don't stock them. However, there are just dozens of muggle books that I read, all about gender and the _gender binary_ , transgender people and what it means to be 'non-binary'. Mel taught me a lot too."

"There was a lot of 'gender' in that sentence," Dean said.

Hermione registered their lost and blank expressions. Harry gave her an encouraging look as if to say 'go on, Hermione! don't give up on us yet'.

After thinking for a moment, she got her wand out.

"So there's men; wizards." She said as she conjured a small, glowing, pale-blue orb that hung suspended in the air in front of her and her friends. "And then there's women; witches," she said waving her wand to create a pastel yellow orb about thirty centimetres from the blue "But what Mel has taught me is there's so much more to gender than those two. Men and Women," she tapped the two orbs respectively. "-that's the binary; Binary meaning two."

Everyone looked captivated by her presentation, dazzled by the beauty of it, though decidedly still confused about what it meant. The embers in the fire had died down now, and somehow the lanterns began to dim, leaving the room in near darkness, lit only by Hermione's magic.

She drew a wavy multicoloured thread between the two glowing orbs and then swirled it in a spiral above the wavy line. It glimmered and pulsed, waves of light and colour moving along the thread, winding through the two orbs and outwards again, "This," the light of Hermione's spectrum was reflected in the eyes of all watching her "is everything in between and beyond."

She tapped her wand gently in the middle of the mesmerizing swirl of colours and it lit up a point like a little star. "And this is my Melody: a _Spellcaster_."

* * *

The first meeting of the W.W.S came and went, with a few friends coming to support Melody and Hermione; but none felt they had any knowledge of Spellcasters and only Luna Lovegood seemed really at ease there.

The next week, the evening of the second meeting arrived, and pacing in the corridor near the turret was a certain anxious Slytherin boy. Luna was making her way, skipping and humming a strange tune only she knew, when she bumped into him. Draco Malfoy.

He shied away from her, brought out of his thoughts, and then realised who she was. Humiliation flooded through him, crushing his insides, and he felt he may cry: he felt that way a lot these days.

But ever unpredictable and compassionate Luna, took Draco's hand with the ease of a friend. "Come on," she said in her soft, sing-song voice and she led him up the staircase and into the unknown.

* * *

 **Anyone reading and enjoying I'd love to hear your thoughts! Anyone not enjoying? Still let me know in a review. (It's fuel for mochi's fire)**


	3. Chapter 3

Mochiface here~

Anything different from the books is my artistic liberties, as well as some adopted headcanons from fandom.

 **The rest belongs to the original creator J. K. Rowling . This is purely for fun - no copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Part Three: _Draco_**

Draco Malfoy had withdrawn into himself more than ever before. He was lonely, an outcast to everyone that held him accountable for his past actions; he held himself accountable too. His existence was two parts depression, a dose of long-fermented confusion, an unending strand of disconnection and a healthy amount of guilt and self-loathing. Mix together and bake with intense anxiety and you'll have yourself a Draco-Malfoy-shaped husk of a person with a shattered sense of belonging.

The only reason he found the strength to return to Hogwarts for the remedial eighth year was a letter he received shortly after his father was sentenced to life in Azkaban. Draco and his mother were surprised but thankful to find themselves pardoned by the same court, as their time spent under Voldemort was categorised "against their will and under duress". The letter he received was from none other than Harry Potter, reaching out to Draco as a young victim of a war they had no control over. It was a strange thing, to be reassured by someone he'd harboured hatred towards for so many years. The letter released those ugly emotions for Draco, and it became apparent that it was resentment more than hatred that he had felt, stemming from Harry's rejection of his offer of friendship right from the beginning.

He held that letter now, folded into a tiny square in his pocket. And in his other pocket, scrunched up was the W.W.S poster.

"I'm Melody," they said to Draco, "If I like you, you can call me Mel."

Draco smiled weakly, Melody had a way of making people feel instantly at ease despite the abrupt way they spoke. Maybe their straightforwardness _was_ the reason why, you couldn't help but feel like they would tell you what was on their mind without mincing words.

"I'm Draco, Malfoy," he said to the small group in the circular room, feeling a bit hot with embarrassment; because of course they know who he was.

The sky was still blue, visible through the turret windows, but losing the light of day quickly. A single lantern in the corner of the room produced an unnatural expanse of warm light making the room cosy even with only four people in the large, stone space. Hermione Granger, Melody Blossom, Luna Lovegood and Draco Malfoy. They sat in the middle of the room, where a rug, some couches and armchairs and a small low table had been arranged. Luna sat on the floor cross-legged with her shoes and socks discarded beside her, in the armchair furthest from Mel and 'Mione sat Draco, looking very small.

"It's really lovely of you to join us, Malfoy," Hermione told him, summoning the most diplomacy within herself that she'd ever had to. Scars faded, but the painful memories remained of her time at the Malfoy Manor where Draco did nothing to help. It was Draco's biggest regret.

"Would you like to talk about what brought you here tonight?"

A wave of panic coursed through Draco. He shook his head. "Would you mind…" he said softly "…if I just sat here for a while?"

Luna nodded encouragingly. "It's fine, Draco," she assured him.

They sat in uncomfortable silence for a minute because no one could think of what to say.

Oblivious to awkwardness, Luna hummed and made a flower grow from a crack in the floor.

"I've brought a painting to show you all," Luna said in her wispy way "how I feel magic intersects with our sexuality and identity." She lifted a small canvas the size of a textbook out of her satchel. Gently passing her painting to Hermione and Melody she spoke of how she felt, of the sorrow that plagued her some days but also the freedom. She told them of loving a great many people, but not knowing what to do with reciprocated affection.

Melody said until they met Hermione, they'd never felt attracted to anyone before.

As the time passed, Draco listened, in awe of these people who spoke earnestly and listened to acknowledge and understand each other's hearts as well as their own. He was moved to tears and there was a wrenching pain in his chest, a burden he could not unravel. But among fellow students who were quick to welcome him where he knew he had no right to be welcome, he felt he may be okay.

* * *

A couple of weeks passed with no incident to speak of until the night Harry Potter got a fright at something rapping at his window. Unable to sleep, Harry had been watching people on the Marauders Map for a few hours. He was particularly interested in why Professor McGonagall was still awake and visiting Professor Trelawney at this time of night. But even that couldn't hold his attention for long. He was restless. So, the distraction, even if it was a fright, was welcome.

There was a small, noble little barn owl tapping its beak against the window pane. Yawning, Harry let the little thing in, retrieving the letter from it and giving it a scratch under its chin.

"Who are you then?" Harry asked the owl quietly. It cooed and put its head against his hand again demanding more affection.

Harry turned the envelope over, in the small Lumos spell he could see it was unmarked except for 'Harry Potter' calligraphed on the front. Realising Harry's attention was no longer on him, the barn owl huffed and flew back into the night.

Opening the envelope and unfolding the parchment inside, Harry's eyes were drawn immediately to the signed ' _D.M'_ at the bottom of the letter. Intrigued, excited even, he hastily read the rest:

 _Potter,_ the letter began.

 _I wished to write to you as soon as I learned how you contested my Mother and I's original sentence from the Wizengamot. You acting as an advocate for us truly saved our lives. That is what you do isn't it, I always thought it was annoying but I guess now I'm just really grateful._

 _Sometimes I'm certain I should have, and still should be sent to Azkaban, I feel terrible, unworthy of existence. The things I did!_

 _But I read the letter you wrote. I carry it with me. It reminds me how much was out of my control; how afraid I was for my Mother's life and for my own._

 _I don't think I'm a good person… but because of you, I feel I could be._

 _D.M_

The letter was honest. So honest Harry would be inclined to say Malfoy would never have written it. But he knew it was him, and it was somehow exhilarating. This was a side Harry didn't know of Malfoy, probably a side that hadn't seen the light of day (nor the dark of night).

Motivated, by what? Harry didn't know, but he got a piece of blank parchment and his quill and started to craft a reply. He had no inkling what this letter had set in motion inside him, but it felt a right sight better than usual, and that was something.

* * *

Draco had mentally prepared himself all week for the next W.W.S meeting. He liked it there, there was no pressure to do or say anything, or _be anyone._ They all just chatted, spoke of deep things and light things and played games and read in silence. Hermione did occasionally want there to be some structured activities but even those weren't dull.

He had gotten so used to just the four of them that Draco hadn't thought of the possibility of there ever being new members. Settling into his favourite chair, he heard more footsteps coming up the stairs. Hermione brightened at whoever arrived at the doorway and welcomed them in.

"Harry!" Luna sung. Draco froze. "Good to see you!"


End file.
